Sanding and Finishing Your Woodwork Project

If asked, I will always tell people that woodworking is a very simple process. You only need to be able to do three things. First you need to be able to cut bits of wood into shape, secondly you are required to fix them together, and finally you have to smooth and finish the wood to make the item you were making look nice. Simple, yes, but each of these three steps can take a lifetime to master. In today's article I wanted to look a bit closer at the final step in the woodworking process, sanding and finishing.

Whilst I say this is the final step of any woodworking project, in reality we need to break it down into two parts. First up is the sanding, by which I mean the process of smoothing the wood to remove any blemishes or rough edges. Remember that an minor blemish or imperfection in your wood will be magnified when you complete the sanding and finishing process by applying you wax, polish or varnish.

There are a number of different ways to sand and smooth your wood. The main three methods you can use are;

1. Sandpaper - Nine times out of ten this will be the approach you take to smooth your wood. Sandpaper is graded based on the size of the grains on the paper. The higher the number the smaller the grains and the finer the finish you will achieve. Be sure to use the right grade of paper for the job you are tackling. In most cases you will start with a coarse grade to clean up the worst marks, before moving on to a finer grade.

2. Wire wool - Wire wool, sometimes called steel wool, can be used when you need a finer finish than can be achieved with even the finest sandpaper. With certain types of oily wood wire wool is all you need to finish your wood, as it will leave the surface so smooth that there will be no need for any further varnish or polish.

3. Cabinet scraper - This tool is less well known, but can be a useful addition to the woodworker's tool box. Standard cabinet scrapers are rectangular piece of flexible tempered steel. They are used, as their name implies, at the beginning of the finishing process to scrape along the surfaces of your piece of furniture to remove blemishes or small tears in the wood. They also come in curved shapes that are useful for finishing curved surfaces such as mouldings.

Once you have sanded and smoothed your wood surfaces, the next step in making your wood look wonderful is to apply your finish. The main thing to be aware of when you are selecting your finish is that it will change the look of your wood, and you might not be able to assess the scale of that change by looking at the tin. Hence it is suggested that you should try out the varnish, wax or polish that you intend to use on a piece of waste wood before you proceed. If necessary try two or three different colours to be sure that you get the best look.